Remote automatic selection of cows for milking in a pasture-based automatic milking system

ABSTRACT New Zealand pastoral dairy farming presents unique challenges for combining automatic milking systems (AMS), including long walking distances, large herds, year round pasturing and a predominately fresh pasture diet. This paper describes a system designed to minimise walking, maximise the efficiency of AMS utilisation and enable control of individual cow milking frequency by remotely selecting cows for milking up to 400 m from the dairy. Cows report to a selection unit (SU) located in the centre of a block of pasture and linked via raceways to the AMS. Entry is via one-way gates and exit via a computer controlled drafting gate, which directs the cow either to the dairy or the paddock depending on time since last milking. A communication cable connects the SU to the AMS server in the dairy. Cows wear an electronic identification device. Water and pasture access act as incentives for cows to enter the SU. Cows readily learned to use the SU and were observed visiting the unit at every hour over 24 hours. Twenty-seven cows were assigned to either a 6h or 12h minimum milking interval (MMI). On average, cows visited the SU 4.5 and 5.5 times/d for the 6h MMI and 12h MMI groups, respectively, and achieved a milking frequency of 1.9 and 1.4 milkings/d, respectively. Results showed that milking frequency can be controlled via a system for remotely selecting cows for milking and that access to fresh pasture is a strong factor in motivating cow traffic through the SU

Isospin effects studied with the CHIMERA detector at 35 Mev/nucleon

The yield of light charged particles and intermediate mass fragments is studied for the neutron-rich, 124Sn+64Ni, and neutron-poor, 112Sn+58Ni, reactions at 35MeV/nucleon as a function of the impact parameter. Our main observations are: (i) The yields of 1H, 3He and 4He particles in the neutron-poor system are enhanced with respect to the neutron-rich system and the yield of 3H is suppressed at all impact parameters, (ii) The ratio of 3H to 3He yield is three times larger for neutron poor system, (iii) The N/Z ratio of the emitted intermediate-mass fragments shows dependence on the isospin of the system, (iv) The neutron richness of detected intermediate mass fragments depends strongly on their rapidity. The gross features of the experimental data are reproduced by quantum molecular dynamics model calculations

Changing trends in mastitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>The global dairy industry, the predominant pathogens causing mastitis, our understanding of mastitis pathogens and the host response to intramammary infection are changing rapidly. This paper aims to discuss changes in each of these aspects. Globalisation, energy demands, human population growth and climate change all affect the dairy industry. In many western countries, control programs for contagious mastitis have been in place for decades, resulting in a decrease in occurrence of <it>Streptococcus agalactiae </it>and <it>Staphylococcus aureus </it>mastitis and an increase in the relative impact of <it>Streptococcus uberis </it>and <it>Escherichia coli </it>mastitis. In some countries, <it>Klebsiella </it>spp. or <it>Streptococcus dysgalactiae </it>are appearing as important causes of mastitis. Differences between countries in legislation, veterinary and laboratory services and farmers' management practices affect the distribution and impact of mastitis pathogens. For pathogens that have traditionally been categorised as contagious, strain adaptation to human and bovine hosts has been recognised. For pathogens that are often categorised as environmental, strains causing transient and chronic infections are distinguished. The genetic basis underlying host adaptation and mechanisms of infection is being unravelled. Genomic information on pathogens and their hosts and improved knowledge of the host's innate and acquired immune responses to intramammary infections provide opportunities to expand our understanding of bovine mastitis. These developments will undoubtedly contribute to novel approaches to mastitis diagnostics and control.</p

Strength Properties of Ceramic Moulds Containing Spent Moulding Sand After Initial Reclamation

The results of testing the strength properties of experimental ceramic materials containing spending moulding sand after initial mechanical reclamation as a material for subsequent layers of the stucco composition were presented. Tests were carried out on spent moulding sands from various foundry technologies, i.e. sand with furfuryl resin and sand with hydrated sodium silicate. The spent, agglomerated moulding sand has undergone a crushing process. Next, the required granular fractions used for individual layers of the stucco material were separated. Ceramic samples, in which the spent moulding sand was a substitute for fresh silica sand in successive layers of the stucco composition, were prepared. As a reference material, identical ceramic samples were used but with all layers made from the fresh silica sand. Samples prepared in this way were used to determine the bending strength of ceramic materials in the temperature range from 20 to 900ºC. The obtained values of the bending strength have demonstrated that spent moulding sand can be used in investment casting with no adverse effect on the strength of ceramic materials

Cast Steel Filtration Trials Using Ceramic-Carbon Filters

Trials of cast steel filtration using two types of newly-developed foam filters in which carbon was the phase binding ceramic particles have been conducted. In one of the filters the source of carbon was flake graphite and coal-tar pitch, while in the other one graphite was replaced by a cheaper carbon precursor. The newly-developed filters are fired at 1000C, i.e. at a much lower temperature than the currently applied ZrO2-based filters. During filtration trials the filters were subjected to the attack of a flowing metal stream having a temperature of 1650C for 30 seconds. Characteristic of the filters’ properties before and after the filtration trial were done. It was found, that the surface reaction of the filter walls with molten metal, which resulted in local changes of the microstructure and phase composition, did not affect on expected filter lifetime and filtration did not cause secondary contamination of cast steel

Cast Steel Filtration Trials Using Ceramic-Carbon Filters

Trials of cast steel filtration using two types of newly-developed foam filters in which carbon was the phase binding ceramic particles have been conducted. In one of the filters the source of carbon was flake graphite and coal-tar pitch, while in the other one graphite was replaced by a cheaper carbon precursor. The newly-developed filters are fired at 1000C, i.e. at a much lower temperature than the currently applied ZrO2-based filters. During filtration trials the filters were subjected to the attack of a flowing metal stream having a temperature of 1650C for 30 seconds. Characteristic of the filters’ properties before and after the filtration trial were done. It was found, that the surface reaction of the filter walls with molten metal, which resulted in local changes of the microstructure and phase composition, did not affect on expected filter lifetime and filtration did not cause secondary contamination of cast steel

Wykonywanie elementów sztucznego serca – wybrane aspekty technologii odlewniczej

This study shown possibilities of Rapid Prototyping techniques (RP) and metal casting simulation software (MCSS), including non inertial reference systems. RP and MCSS have been used in order to design and produce essential elements for artificial heart. Additionally it has been shown possibilities of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technique and DodJet technology using prototyped elements of rotodynamic pump. MAGMASOFT® software allowed to verify the cast kit heart valves model. Optical scanner Atos III enabled size verification of experimental elements supplied by rapid prototyping together with metal casting elements. Due to the selection of ceramic materials and assessment of molten metal – ceramic reactivity at high temperatures together with pattern materials selection model it was possible to design, manufacture a ceramic mould for titanium based alloys. The casting structure modification has been carried out by means of high isostatic pressure technique (HIP). The quality assessment of the casting materials has been performed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), ARL 4460 Optical Emission Spectrometer, metallographic techniques and X-ray computed tomography.W artykule przedstawiono wykorzystanie technik szybkiego prototypowania oraz programów do symulacji przepływów stopów odlewniczych, w tym w nieinercyjnych układach odniesienia, do projektowania, a następnie wykonania elementów sztucznego serca. Zaprezentowano kolejno technikę Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) oraz technologię DodJet na przykładzie wykonania prototypowych elementów pomp wirowych. Program MAGMASOFT® pozwolił zweryfikować projekt zestawu odlewniczego zastawki serca. Zastosowanie skanera optycznego Atos III umożliwiło weryfikację wymiarów doświadczalnych elementów otrzymanych przy wykorzystaniu technik RP oraz elementów odlewanych. Dzięki doborowi materiałów ceramicznych pod kątem oceny ich reakcji z ciekłym metalem oraz doborowi mas modelowych możliwe było opracowanie doświadczalnych form ceramicznych przeznaczonych do odlewania stopów tytanu. Modyfikację struktury odlewów wykonano przy zastosowaniu obróbką techniką HIP. Ocenę jakości wykonanych odlewów przeprowadzono kolejno metodą mikrofluorescencji rentgenowskiej, emisyjnym spektrometrem optycznym, technikami metalograficznymi oraz rentgenowską tomografią komputerową